A very funky whatsit plane

[James Taglienti]

I bought this plane near Kansas City when visiting in-laws last thanksgiving. I have no idea what it was used for. The casting is brass and quite crude- i think i could do better in my garage - and the handle is mahogany. That kinda points to a patternmaker, but as far as it's purpose, i am baffled! It accepts a 3/4" chisel or cutter. It is badly out of square and the sole is dented, warped, and wavy by up to 1/8" in places, enough to throw some of you sole-lappers out there into a conniption. It has the owner's stamp RMN which leads me to believe it was used, or at least brought out into public :eek: on the other hand the handle, though ugly, is impeccably fitted into the casting. There is a primitive escapement on one side. Some of my ideas were - a chisel/rabbet plane if used upright, or an edge trimming plane if used flat on it's sole. Please help!

[Robert Rozaieski]

Looks like it might be a crude version of a spill plane (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=64338&cat=1,41182). But then again maybe not. I'm not seeing how the spills would easily eject from the "mouth".

[Jim Koepke]

It's a wavy Davey wabbet plane.

I am sure it is something some pattern maker either copied or designed.

Too bad Clint Jones no longer visits the board. He collects pattern maker's attempts at plane making/copying.

jim

[James Taglienti]

Nah, i think spill planes have a skewed cutter... here's another patternmaker's copy, also quite wavy. but it's neat to see a try at a block plane.

[harry strasil]

first pic seems to have a chisel in it for the blade, maybe blind nailer attempt

[Chris Vesper]

Easy, if James would stop pulling it apart to take pictures is would all make sense: Jim got it right: its a side rebate plane.

Quite unusual in that it takes the nearest 3/4" chisel for a blade, makes me think a carpenter may have made it.

[george wilson]

WWII Japanese carpenters kits usually carried planes that used a chisel as an iron to save expense.

[Rob Lee]

Hi -

My bet would be a plane for use by printers to trim lead type ... so perhaps it's something in a similar vein - perhaps for trimming wooden printing blocks???

Cheers -

Rob